STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1163-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2640

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2640, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act to authorize the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide cash awards to beneficiaries to purchase a residential lot outside of Department's trust lands, or to pay the beneficiary's existing mortgage note or rent, in lieu of awarding the beneficiary a lease.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands does not have sufficient land to provide housing for the approximately twenty-eight thousand native Hawaiian beneficiaries on its waiting list. This measure would provide an alternative path for beneficiaries to obtain or maintain permanent housing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the authorized uses of the Hawaiian Home Loan Fund to be additionally used for cash award payments;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2640, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2640, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair